Ob izvoru demokracije

Abstract

In the article the essence of democracy in ancient Greece is defined and illustrated by the interpretation of some works by Herodotus, Solon, and Euripides. The conclusion is that for the Greeks, especially for the Athenians at the time of classical democracy, participation in determining destiny of the polis in the freedom of discussion, decision, and action was much more important than any other form of life that, in comparison, everything else sunk into almost complete indifference. Putting politics in the service of any goal outside of it itself, whether it was economical or any other social or technical goal, appeared to them as the humiliation and enslavement of freedom, which in its proper form lives only in politics.

Keywords

• politics
• democracy
• ancient greece
• freedom
• equality